Sprinkler head



T. J. MADIGAN.

SPRINKLER HEAD.

APPLICATION FILED APR- 7, 1920.

1322,75. Patented J 13 18, 1922.

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UNITED STATES PATIENT OFFICE...

THOMAS J. MADIGAN, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR QFONE-FOURTI-I TO,

I JAMES O. SCHWANK, OF NEW YORK, N.

SPRINKLER HEAD.

Application filed April 7,

To all whom-it mag concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS J. MADIGAN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Brooklyn, in the county of Kings, State of New York, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Sprinkler Heads;

and I do hereby declare the following to he a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains tomake and use the same.

The present invention relates to sprinkler heads of the character usedwith water distributing systems to protect against fire, the head havinga fusible element which when overheated releases water from the systemto extinguish the fire.

It is a characteristic of many sprinkler heads now on the market thatafter thefire has occurred and has been extinguished, and the waterturned off to prevent flooding the building, there is no easy wayof'putting the sprinkler heads again in condition to resist the waterpressure and to afford protection again to the building againstrekindling of the fire. It is not safe to drive wooden plugs into theopened sprinkler heads, though the temptation to do this is strong, andit is only by removal and re placement of the complete sprinkler headthat the desired protection against water and against fire isreestablished.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a sprinkler head inwhich the perishable elements can be renewed quickly and convenientlyand at low expense, and without the aid of any special tools. Thisfacilitates reestablishment of the sprinkler system immediately after afire with resultant increase in the protection afforded.

To attain the foregoing object and others, which will become clear fromthe following description, the water channel of the sprinkler head isprovided with a plug or closure held in place by a fusible disc, and thedisc and plug are held against the hy drostatic pressure of the watersystem by adjustable means, such as a threaded collar screwing into thefitting or head, and provided with a flange engaging the edge of thedisc. After fusion of the disc, and on shutting off the water therebyreleased, a

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 1.8, 1922.

1920. Serial No. 371,907.

new plug and disc can readily be applied to the head, and thesprinklertbereby placed in its initial protecting condition.

In the accompanying drawing, forming a part hereof, Fig. 1 is asectional elevation of one embodiment of the invention; Fig.

2 is a section on .theiline 2 2:l Fig. 3 is a perspective view of theplug, disc and collar separated from each other. Fig. 4; is a sectional.elevation of a modified form in which the collar is of lighterconstruction; and Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the collar illustratedin Fig. 4-

In the embodiment illustrated in Figs. 1 to 3, inclusive, the sprinklerhead comprises a brass or bronze fitting 1, carrying screw threads 2 forattachment to the water supply pipe, and having a water passage 3therethrough, terminating in a nipple 4. The water passage is providedwith a closure or plug 5 in the form or a disc, preferably having acylindrical portion extending backward an appreciable distance into thewater passage, and having a peripheral flange 6 inside of which is anannular channel for the reception of a gasket 7 of soft metal such aslead or copper, Above this closure or plug is a disc 8 of bismuth alloy,or other low fusing metal, the edges of this disc being gripped by aninwardly extending flange on a collar 9, the upper portion of which maybe made hexagonal to receive a wrench, and the lower portion of which iscylindrical and has threaded engagement with the body of the fitting, asshown in Fig. 1. Holes 10 of any desired number, may be provided in thehexagonal head to facilitate the insertion or removal of the collar, aswhen renewals of the fusible disc are to be made. Mounted on fitting 1and preferably cast integral therewith is a curved arm 11 carrying theusual deflector 12 and notched bafiie 13, whereby the released water issprayed out over a large area.

In the embodiment illustrated in Fig. l, wherein the several parts arenumbered to correspond with Fig. 1, the collar 9 is light incross-section, thereby reducing thermal conductivity to and from thefusible disc 8, and may be made of sheet metal, as shown in Fig. 5, witha thread rolled in the cylindrical portion thereof, and With notches 10in the upper edge to facilitate insertion or removal of the collar inthe fitting.

When. a fire occurs in proximity to a sprinkler head of the presentinvention, the

hot gases soften disc 8 to such a degree that the hydrostatic pressureof the'water system unseats the plugor closure 5 and vforces it,together with Whatever remains of the disc, outward through collar 9,thereby releasing the water to efitinguish. the fire. And as soon as thefire is out, and the Water turned off, a Workman can unscrew thethreaded collar using a Wrench or by insertinga nail or other tool inthe openings ii). The presence of but a single arm 11' facilitates thisremoval because of the easy access afforded to the collar. no matterWhere the sprinkler head may be located in the building. Then byinserting a new plug or closure 5, or restoring the old one, if it canbe found, and by putting in a new disc 8, and screwing up the collar toits original position, the sprinkler head is again ready "for action andthe Water can be turned 011 thus restoring the desired protection to thebuilding. I

1. In a device of the character specified, the conbination with thedischarge nipple of a fusible disc seated against the end of the nipplefor closing the saine, and a collar deachahly connected with the nipple,and harmg means for engaging the disc to hold it in place, said meansengaging theedge of the disc and leaving the bore of the nippleunobstructed when the disc fuses, whereby to permit the head to functionwith the collar left in place on' the nipple.

2. A sprinkler head, comprising; in combination a threaded fitting, acollar threaded to the interior thereof and readily removable therefromfor renewals. a plug closing the water passage of said fitting, a lowfusing disc thereovcr, said collar engaging the edge of said disc andholding said plug to its seat over the Water passage.

In testimony whereof I aflix mysignature.

THOMAS J. MADIGAN.

